Selvage iron attachment



Nov. 19, 1940.

SELV EDGE IRON ATTACHMENT Filed March 28, 1939 Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES SELVAGE IRON ATTACHIVIENT Louis Mees, New Brunswick, N. J., and Ralph C. Parkes, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application March 28, 1939, Serial No. 264,576

l 2 Claims.

In the processing and drying of piece goods the selvage edges are engaged by the tenter hooks of an adjustable tenter frame and these edges are somewhat wrinkled and generally do not have the smooth, finished appearance possessed by that portion of the piece goods between the selvage edges.

It is therefore the object of this invention to provide means for smoothing or ironing out the selvage edges of piece goods before such piece goods is wound upon the take-up roll, the full nature of the invention being more clearly understood from the following specification and the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 represents a fragmentary and diagrammatic View in side elevation illustrating the invention.

Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary sectional View on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing in which like reference characters indicate like parts, 2 and 4 des- 25 ignate endless chains carried by sprockets 6. The sprockets 6 are carried by a suitable tenter frame which is not shown in detail since it is of a conventional construction. Such conventional tenter frames are laterally adjustable by means of a hand wheel 8 or the like so that the sprocket 6 and the chains 2 and 4 carried thereby can be moved closer towards or further apart from each other according to the width of the piece goods I0 which is engaged by the tenter hooks I2 on 35 the chains 2 and 4. A conventional tenter frame of this character is provided with means for engaging the clips or hooks I2 with the selvage edges I4 and I6 when the piece goods enter the tenter frame and for disengaging the hooks as the piece goods I0 leaves the tenter frame, it being understood that, as illustrated in the drawing, the cloth travels in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 1 and 2. I8 designates diagrammatically the takeup roll over which the cloth I0 is wound in the usual manner.

In order to smooth out the selvage edges I4 and I6 and give -them the desired finished appearance, the receptacles 20 and 22 are provided which contain water or any other desired liquid. Within the receptacles 20 and 22 arevplaced wicks 24, the wicks being suitably supported within the receptacles in adjusted vertical position so as to contact the outside of the selvage edges as best seen in Fig. 1. Next to the receptacles 20 and 22 are positioned the electric irons 26 and 28 which are energized by the wires 36 from any desired source of electric energy. If desired the irons 26 and 28 can be heated by steam. It will be noted thatI the opposite ends of the irons 26 and 28 are curved downwardly as at 32 so as to facilitate the passage of the cloth I6 thereover. The receptacles 2l) and 22, as well as the irons 26 and 28 are carried by the arms 34 and 36 respectively, said arms being suitably secured to the tenter frame supporting the sprockets 6 so that, as the sprockets 6 are adjusted to fit the width of the piece goods or cloth I6, the arms 34 and 36 move accordingly thus insuring the alignment of the wicks 24 of the receptacles 2D and 22 and the effective surfaces of the irons 26 and 28 with the selvage edges I4 and I6. As the cloth I0 travels in the direction of the arrows, the selvage edges I4 and I6 are released from the hooks or clamps I2 when the cloth has passed the center of the sprocket 6, where- 20 upon the selvage edges lli and I6 pass over the wicks 24 and are moistened with water or whatever liquid is used in the receptacles, and, after being moistened, the selvage edges pass over the irons 26 and 28 are ironed out before the cloth reaches the take-up roll i8.

As will be seen from Fig. 3 the irons 26 and 28 are preferably slanted or inclined away from the goods so that the selvage edge rides on the uppermost tip of the iron. Also it will be noted 0 that the irons 26 and 28 are vertically adjustable by the set screw 40 while they are also adjustable laterally in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 2 by means of the set screw 42 movable in the slot 44. It will be noted that the lateral adjustment of the irons 26 and 28 by the set screws 42 and 44 is independent of and in addition to their generally lateral adjustment with the irons 26 as the latter are moved towards or away from each other with the `conventionally adjustable tenter frame. The adjustment of the irons by means of the set screw 42 and slot 44 becomes very useful when the fabric I6 after being released from the tenter hooks I2 shrinks a little bit, and, if the entire tenter frame is to be adjusted as towidth, it might affect the finished dimensions of the cloth, whereas, if the tenter frame and hence the irons 26 are adjusted to the desired width, and if after the cloth leaves the tenter hooks it should shrink slightly as it 50 most likely will, the further adjustment of the irons 26 and 28 will insure the engagement of the selvage without disturbance of the tenter frame as a whole.

The invention having thus been described, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a tenter frame adapted to engage the selvage edges of a piece of cloth, of a pair of arms secured to the opposite sides of said tenter frame and disposed below the horizontal plane of said selvage edges, receptacles carried by said arms and adapted to contain a liquid, means for transmitting the liquid from said receptacles to the corresponding selvage edges, and a pair of oppositely disposed and adjustably mounted ironing elements carried by said arms in contact With said selvage edges for smoothing out the latter. 

